Wee Heavy Scotch Style Ale
The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery

Wee Heavy Scotch Style AleWee Heavy Scotch Style Ale
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From:
The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
 
North Carolina, United States
Style:
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
Ranked #81
ABV:
8%
Score:
88
Ranked #15,043
Avg:
3.91 | pDev: 10.74%
Reviews:
302
Ratings:
509
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 24, 2024
Added:
May 15, 2006
Wants:
  78
Gots:
  31
The Duck-Rabbit’s Scotch Ale is a full-bodied, deep copper-colored treasure. Bold and malty, this beer’s sweetness comes from a massive quantity of grain complemented by some serious kettle carmelization. The flavor is rounded out by a warming alcohol sensation.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by CoolJosh:
Photo of CoolJosh
Reviewed by CoolJosh from Pennsylvania

3.97/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A huge thanks to the kind trader who threw this one in as an extra.

Poured into a pint glass, I never know what this style is meant to be poured into. The appearance is a Dark brown cherry red that is incredibly translucent and produces no head.

The smell is of sweet scotch and whiskey. Incredibly dry, with slight caramel note. Very airy with some very dark cherry scents that are matched by a dry red grape scents.

A big WHOA in the mouth. When splashed upon my palate, this beer becomes incredibly deep when you let sit in your mouth for a second or two. Great oak flavors, caramel, salt, smoothly aged scotch, and a dry woody aftertaste. This beer far exceeded my expectations, and I would glad have another if given the chance.
Jan 20, 2009
More User Ratings:
Photo of jzeilinger
Reviewed by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania

3.94/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap.

A - Deep amber colored pour with thin caramel lacing.

S - Light toasted caramel aroma with a little bit of bread crust.

T - Toasted toffee caramel, breadcrust, just a tad bit of citrus on the back side and ends sweeter.

M - Medium body with a slight bit of warming (not much, though).

O - Very solid!
Feb 24, 2024
 
Rated: 4 by kuhndog from New York

Feb 12, 2024
 
Rated: 2.75 by SeanP99 from North Carolina

Jan 11, 2024
Photo of VABA
Reviewed by VABA from Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a dark reddish amber color with a slight head and lacing
Aroma has malt and caramel hints
The taste follows the nose with a malt and caramel flavor
A medium bodied decently carbonated beer
A nice Wee Heavy
Apr 08, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by kjkinsey from Texas

Jul 19, 2021
 
Rated: 4.13 by rangerred from Tennessee

Jun 18, 2021
 
Rated: 2.44 by FBarber from Illinois

May 29, 2021
 
Rated: 3.88 by Hoptometrist from Ohio

Feb 06, 2021
Photo of Rschis16
Reviewed by Rschis16 from Maryland

3.94/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dark brown with amber highlights topped by a 1 finger parchment colored head that disappates down to a thin patchy layer. Malty and bready aroma with a little bit of booze and a touch of smoke. The flavor is very malt forward, balanced by a lightly peppered hoppiness in the middle of the palate and a touch of roasty malts. The malt bill is brown bread and sweet, but fortunately that touch of roast balances out the overall experience. The smokiness expected in a wee heavy is found in the back, almost in the aftertaste but it does add to the overall balance. The body is surprisingly light and adds to an already interesting beer's character. Malty but balanced, maybe not the "scotchiest" of all scotch ales, but still a really really nice sipper
Jan 25, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by TeachChefs from Pennsylvania

Dec 25, 2020
 
Rated: 4.09 by 88caprice from Virginia

Oct 27, 2020
Photo of DanO1066
Reviewed by DanO1066 from Maryland

3.83/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Draught 8oz snifter at The Brass Tap here in Baltimore. Someone else suggested that this seemed more like a barley-wine, and they maybe on to something.
Oct 20, 2020
Photo of BJB13
Reviewed by BJB13 from Maryland

3.83/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12 Ounce bottle pored into a Tulip.

A solid and enjoyable Wee Heavy.
It pours a murky medium brown but glows ruby when back-lit and has a steady column of rising bubbles. The khaki head starts at one half inch but recedes to a persistent ring. My first couple of whiffs had a dairy-like quality, after that, caramel, toffee, fig and a sticky-sweet bread aroma that was akin to raisin bread. The flavor is similar, malty and sweet but the tangy dark fruit is more prominent, particularly raisin and dried sour cherry. It dries but remains tangy through the drawn out finish. The medium frothy body is slightly warming and has lowish carbonation.
Jun 11, 2020
Photo of hman43
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina

3.96/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Look: It pours deep copper with reddish hues. There is an off white head. Head retention is low.

Smell: It has strong malt with caramel elements. There are moderate cherry notes with a low scotch element. There are very low herbal elements.

Taste: It is rather sweet although not veering one the cloying side. There are caramel and scotch flavors with cherry. There are very low herbal elements

Feel: It has a medium full body with very smooth alcohol warming.

Overall, rich malty flavors with cherry esters and touch a touch of hops.
Apr 07, 2020
Photo of damndirtyape
Reviewed by damndirtyape from Ohio

3.77/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle with no date stamp. You can see on the label where the stamp is supposed to be, but nothing is marked. Served in a Gordon's Highland Scotch Ale thistle glass.

Appearance: Clear copper color. Thin off white head that died back. No lacing.

Smell: Fruity, caramel, yeasty.

Taste: Toffee, cherries, and some bitterness and very mild sourness as well. Very odd for the style.

Mouthfeel: Light carbonation, nicely thick, smooth, sticky.

Overall / Drinkability: Certainly looks the part, but doesn't taste or smell like a wee heavy. If you had handed me a glass of this and not told me what it was, I would have guessed it was some sort of ale brewed with cherries, maybe even a Belgian ale. It does not quite hit that malty sweetness of this style. It's unique, tastes okay, but I would not really call it a Wee Heavy.
Apr 05, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by JoeLacy from Ohio

Jan 27, 2020
Photo of BB1313
Reviewed by BB1313 from Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Pours copper with light ruby red hues; light khaki head that fades leaving nice retention and okay lacing. Great color. The aromas have kind of have a "funk" vibe going on. Hints of vinegar. Some caramel and cherries. Malts are there. The flavors follow the nose. More caramel and cherries leading the way. Hints of toffee and raisins. Some wood and oak notes. More interesting vinegar and funk notes. It's on the sweeter side, but nothing too crazy or over the top. Malts do their thing. Alcohol basically goes unnoticed. Mouthfeel is on the fuller side of medium-bodied with moderate to active carbonation. It's sharp, fluffy, smooth and easy to drink.

This is a decent brew. It definitely starts off rough around the edges, but everything ultimately comes together. It's still kind of odd for the style though, in my opinion.
Jan 19, 2020
Photo of Brutaltruth
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio

3.96/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
From the 12 oz bottle in a snifter. This fine little scotch ale
pours a nicely clear deep red tinged mahogany with a modest
head of white foam that dissipates to a thin ring. Nose of
caramel, subtle booze, dark fruit notes of black and raspberry,
and dark brown sugars. Flavors follow the nose with a dark
bread note dusted with brown sugars and topped with
blackberry and lightly assertive booze. Nice mouth feel;
medium body, medium light carbonation that gives nice lift,
and a nicely toasted moderately sweet and warming finish.

Overall, a solid little brew.

Cheers
Dec 13, 2019
 
Rated: 5 by Kwright from North Carolina

Jul 06, 2019
Wee Heavy Scotch Style Ale from The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 509 ratings